Love, be Eternal
by G-Cleft
Summary: Revised version... Minor, but significant changes. Hope you guys like this version better. Mikagami is confronted with two significant issues: his love for Fuuko and her boyfriend's Raiha's trial in court. Which will he defend?
1. Love is Blind

**Love, Be Eternal**

_Disclaimer: The author's only intention is to entertain. FOR characters do not belong to her. Those characters that are not in the anime or the manga were created to fit their original purpose. Please do not sue her, since she hardly has enough money to buy herself a life._

_Lots of thanks to Pratz-san, beta reader and the mastermind behind the plot of this thing._

_ This is the revised version of the fic. Very minor but significant changes _

**Chapter 1: Love is Blind**

Aside from its usual share of microbes and molecules, there was something in the air that beautiful Saturday morning.

Fuuko Kirisawa peered over Tokiya Mikagami's shoulder, clicking her tongue in evident admiration as he lifted his pen from the notepad he held in one arm and showed her the product of 30 minutes ennui.

She clapped him on the shoulder, a wide grin spreading across her lips. "If I had an IQ less than 30, I'd fall in love with you after reading this poem." At that, she let out a soft, gentle sigh, which was rather unconventional of her.

Mikagami snorted, and looked out towards the pool of water a few feet away from where they were seated, face scrunched up in usual apathy. "It's pathetic, Kirisawa. A futile attempt to pass time."

Fuuko leaned back onto the rough bark of the sakura tree, following Tokiya's line of vision. "It's _self-expression, _something I didn't think you were capable of."

Tokiya eyed her impatiently.

Fuuko pressed on, unyielding. "It's amazing how you're just sitting there with an impressive amount of stoicism, while I'm fighting the urge to plagiarize your work and earn a few bucks." She broke into a round of carefree laughter.

Tokiya, as usual, said nothing and chose to listen to the sound of her laugh, which as much as he loathed admitting, was akin to music terribly endeared to him.

It was ironic that the same Fuuko Kirisawa who spent almost every waking moment thinking up innuendos to provoke his wrath was the only person in this world who could prove he was human too; that he was equipped with emotions and feelings. For that reason, he succumbed to her company and had yet to regret it.

A long period of silence passed between the two. He had long since assumed she was asleep when she suddenly stirred.

Fuuko smiled and whispered into his ear the very words that moved him to the core. "You're not as bad as you think, Mi-chan. In fact, you're not bad at all."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Guys, this is Kitsura Zensai, my cough cough…" Domon Ishijima inserted a proud smirk on his declaration. "GIRLFRIEND." He wrapped a beefy arm around the petite, pink-haired girl and grinned idiotically. A chorus of noise buzzed at his announcement.

Yanagi Sakoshita bowed respectfully and held out a hand to Kitsura. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yanagi. It's very nice of you to join our picnic."

Recca Hanabishi appeared at Domon's side. "Oi, you've put the line 'there can be miracles when you believe' into perspective. I was starting to lose faith in your ability to woo women." His teasing was emphasized by a large grin, and he handed his comrade a tall glass of iced tea.

"You know what they say, patience is a virtue." Domon countered, laughing maniacally.

Kitsura blushed and giggled along, jabbing an elbow at Domon's ribs. "Since when have you learned to quote?"

"Ooooh, love is changing every time…" Fuuko crumpled her fingers into a fist to portray a microphone. Tokiya merely shook his head and handed her a plate of potato salad.

It was a true Hokage reunion in the making. Recca and Yanagi had arrived an hour after Fuuko and Tokiya, fresh from their graduation ceremony. The latter pair, during an earlier conversation, discovered that Yanagi accommodated the slot of _magna cum laude_. It was a position Tokiya had earned at Tokyo University, also Fuuko's alma mater, where she in turn had graduated a month ago with honors and a bachelor's degree in physical science.

Ganko arrived shortly, a basket of food in tow. Gone were the marks of childhood, as apparently she had blossomed to a young woman, possessing the soft marks of grace and elegance. A glint in their horizon and soon, a handsome boy walked nonchalantly towards the clustered Hokage members. This triggered a gasp from Ganko as she ran to meet him midway and enveloped him in a bear hug. Apparently, he had returned from his "blast _to_ the past" journey with Kurei. The kogan-anki wielder flashed them his swoon-inspiring fang grin. Ganko wiped tears from her eyes. Finally, Domon and Kitsura emerged from one of the ends of the woods, signaling the commencement of their bonding.

The place was memorable in itself, one of the Hokage members' "training grounds" since time immemorial. For Kaoru, it was a place to escape from the pressures of day-to-day living. Domon found it indispensable in his quest for objects to test his strength, it being an area where trees were abundant. Ganko liked to go there to read. It was a place of retreat for Yanagi and Recca. Tokiya wandered to it from time to time whenever he craved to be by his lonesome. Fuuko came because she loved the lake, and sporadically, to vent her spleen from whatever triggered her frustration. It was a 15-minute drive from the outskirts of town, requiring one to possess enormous skill in driving in order to get to the site of the lake. In unwary positions stood such towering trees that one would have to steer his vehicle with accurate precision to avoid any sort of collision. The effort was worth it, of course, once your sight beheld the lake.

"And Recca was actually so dumb; he gave the spiked punch to _Yanagi_ and not to me." Domon was recollecting, in the process perplexing everyone by shoving dumplings down his throat and rambling at the same time. He remained oblivious to the death glare Recca was shooting him.

"Hey, hey, what about the time Recca brought Kondo to his final exams and adorned him with jewelries and whatnot? He pretended Kondo was some sort of idol and prayed for wisdom." Fuuko chimed in, with spurts of chuckles in between.

The whole group, save for Tokiya, Kitsura, and Recca who was beet-red, burst into a round of wild laughter.

Recca shook the bangs from his eyes, recovering quickly. "Here's a howler. Do you guys recall that night when Fuuko surmised a burglar had broken into her home, which was really inconceivable by the way, and decided to surprise-attack the "culprit"? Poor Mikagami had to bear the brunt of her violence."

Domon had fallen off the bench, clutching his stomach and guffawing so hard that tears streamed down his face. Kitsura and Yanagi were not succeeding at choking back laughter, which was supposed to count as a sympathetic gesture on Fuuko's behalf. Recca began to look smug.

"What do you mean, he had to bear the brunt of my violence? I didn't get him! He was too fast for his own good." Fuuko slammed both fists on the wooden table, casting a sideway glance at the reserved bishounen. The eating utensils and other dishes on the table jiggled.

Recca yawned. "Naaahh… I think you were just losing your touch, Fuuko. Ever since our madogous were destroyed, your agility seemed to be deteriora—"

Fuuko growled and a lump suddenly formed on Recca's forehead, followed by the noise of chopsticks bouncing off the ground.

"I think otherwise." Mikagami muttered, eyeing the fallen Recca. Yanagi immediately rushed to the flame-caster's aid. "Res ipso loquitor."

"Um, what's that?" Domon asked.

"It's latin. The evidence speaks for itself." Mikagami answered.

Fuuko giggled in glee and tried to coax him into a hi-five, but he would not.

………………………………………………………………………

Two weeks had passed.

Fuuko raised a brow when Mikagami opened the door, brushed him aside without a word, and barged into his house. Crossing both arms over her chest, the violet haired girl proceeded to glare malevolently at him. "Did you, or did you not receive an invitation?" she spat out, flickers of aggression dancing in her dark blue eyes.

"Yes, I did." He admitted, throwing her an exasperated look.

Fuuko buried her face in her hands in order to keep from wringing Mikagami's neck. "Mi-chan, I know you're busy and all but as pathetic as it sounds, I expected to see your face there. I don't turn twenty-two everyday. It's a special occasion I want to spend with special people."

He looked at her wearily, tried to ignore the tug at his heart and ran a hand through his silver hair. "I had a deadline to meet." He answered, which was half-true actually. Mikagami was a lawyer on balance, and his work demanded much of his time.

She stepped closer to him. "Can't make time for a friend?" she gazed up at him pleadingly. Tokiya felt floored.

"I almost… no, I really missed you back there." she said sincerely. "It would have been more exciting for the guys if you had been there to grace everyone with his presence."

"You exaggerate." He flinched at her warm words, because it got the better of his icy heart. "It's your birthday, remember? You deserve all the attention."

She rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you go? Raiha was there."

Exactly why he decided against going. "I told you—I was busy." He amended in place of the truth.

It was not a secret that Raiha had this fondness for Fuuko. But he had been discrete, almost dormant in his actions that in due time, Tokiya was inclined to presume this "crush" of Raiha on his friend was nothing but seasonal.

Fuuko forced a smile and steeled herself to look him straight in the eye. Cobalt blue met somber cerulean shades, and Fuuko was tempted to forfeit her plan of revealing anything to him. As if he were reading her, looking straight into her soul. She'd never felt that much impact on her emotions before. Her heart was suddenly beating so fast, and all of a sudden she understood how difficult it was to tell _him,_ of all people, when she would rather let him be the last person on earth to know. "Mi-chan, I want you to know..."

Tokiya gave her something akin to a quizzical look.

She sighed and took a deep breath. "I'm together."

Tokiya felt the blood drain from his face. He was reduced to stare at the space above her head for with an expression that gave away nothing, although he felt as if something—the very core of his existence—-had been viciously shaken and hurled to the moon.

"Say something."

There were options of course, like, "_Leave me" _or "_Stupid girl"._ But all the atrocities racing across his mind vanished instantly when he saw the look in her eyes.

What was it reflecting in orbs of dark blue? Was it joy, fear, regret? Why were her eyes glinting? Was she going to cry or was she restraining herself from jumping up and down in delight? Was she happy? Was he

He could not explain logically or otherwise why he felt like he could not be his usual selfish-prick self anymore. He could enumerate the cons of her impulsive decision, but why was he rooted in place? And why, even with his occupation as a lawyer, was it so difficult to lie? It was so difficult to tell her but…

"Congratulations." He said anyway.

Fuuko averted her eyes. There was a tense silence in their midst, rendering her unease by its familiarity.

Tokiya threw the door open. "I think it's best if you leave now."

It was stupid. She was stupid. She didn't know what she was doing. She didn't even think—about how he would feel, how it would affect both of them. Their friendship. It just proved his feelings didn't matter to her at all.

Fuuko nodded and walked to where she had parked her car, securing her seatbelt first before allowing the stampede of tears she had been holding back to flow freely.

…………………………………………………………..

"Fuuko, are you sure I can trust your opinion on the benefits of microwavable meals?" Raiha asked, as they loaded four paper bags of fresh grocery items… or rather, frozen goods to the backseat of his car.

Fuuko laughed and got into the passenger seat. "Like I have been patiently reiterating, if you're going to be busy enough not to have time for cooking, the microwave's your go-to guy."

Raiha started the engine and smoothly stirred the car out of the narrow parking space and into the wide street. A red light loomed in front of their view, causing him to tap the brakes lightly. "Where do I drop you off?"

"Mi-cha--Mikagami's place." She answered after a moment's hesitation. If she did not keep her tongue in check, Raiha would again comment on her odd nickname for the ensui-wielder.

He snickered as the lights changed. "Still haven't patched things up."

"He's just busy." She said immediately, and Raiha noted the defensive edge in her voice. If it were not for the reality of his friendship with Neon, Miki and Aki, he would perhaps be a little bit jealous.

"He's been busy for three weeks." Raiha pointed out cheerfully, swerving the car towards Mikagami's neighborhood.

Fuuko kept her silence and undid her seatbelt as the car slowed down and stopped directly in front of Mikagami's two-storey house. Raiha whistled at the vast expanse of land and the large domicile centered on top of it. "Look at this place."

He reached out and grabbed Fuuko before she could unlock the door. "I'll miss you." He murmured.

"Mutual." Fuuko kissed him on the cheek and stepped out, taking one good look at Tokiya's house. She had an intuition immediately. "I don't think he's home." She turned to Raiha and sighed.

"Tough luck." He smirked. "Do you want me to take you home?"

"Nope." She shook her head, the purple locks bouncing involuntarily.

Raiha raised a brow. "Are you sure?"

She nodded and waved shortly. "Have fun. And come back soon, with the antagonist screaming for mercy."

He gave her this cute salute. "Good as done." He promised and restarted his engine. "I love you."

Fuuko swallowed. "So do I.", she replied softly, merely blinking as he gave her a short wave and zoomed off.

It was Kurei who had asked Raiha to hunt down one of Kouran Mori's ex-henchman, who was suspected of stealing some of the Uruha valuables. The offender was at present cowering in a remote place in one of the islands south of Asia, as last reported by Mokuren of the Uruha. When asked to accept the job, Raiha pronounced it a chore and vowed to accomplished in less than a week.

After what seemed like an eternity of standing beside the lawn, gaping at the house and half-expecting Mikagami to open the door, Fuuko shook her head and decided to stroll. She did not understand the urge to visit Mikagami's house, which she had abstained to set foot in for almost a month. Maybe it was a desperate attempt to fix their friendship. He had been blatantly clear about not wanting any _disturbances_ during the week and the weeks before.

Before she knew it, Fuuko had strayed from Mikagami's neighborhood and was walking towards Yanagi's abode when the image of a man with bounded hair, grasping a cellular phone to his ear appeared on her field of vision.

_Is that…_?

As if her thoughts were audible, the handsome young man looked up and nodded coldly to acknowledge her. Fuuko screamed, humiliating Tokiya immensely, and cut the distance between them in a mad dash. She threw her arms around his neck, which reduced him to immobility, partly because he had seen it coming, but did nothing to stop it.

Trust Fuuko to be extremely capricious and cross the line. Why could she not see that he was unreachable? Untouchable? Why was she so aggravatingly stubborn about insisting to be a part of his life? He was in no mood to forgive, he still held a grudge because of her news two weeks ago.

After a long time wherein the purple-haired girl insinuated that she would sleep in that position if she had to, Tokiya peeled her arms off him and looked at her coolly.

"Say it, Mi-chan. You are so psyched to see me." She grinned. "Thanks. I missed you too."

He snorted. Her ability to concoct bizarre theories always puzzled him. Although they weren't the farthest from the realm of truth. "What is it now, Kirisawa?"

A vein assumed position on the girl's forehead. "Do you have to be constantly thinking that I need something from you every time we see each other? You think I planned to run into you on purpose… just to get something?"

Tokiya had attained a healthy interest on the mailbox behind her. "If you want nothing from me, then excuse me, Fuuko. I have business to attend to."

"No, there will be none." Fuuko stated authoritatively. On a tyranny of impulse, she stepped on his toe. Tokiya cringed and looked at her in a manner that dictated she had lost all reason.

Fuuko raised her chin. "You're wearing your Nikes. That implies you're free of meetings and other obligations for the day."

Tokiya made a mental note to burn the shoes when he had the chance.

She pulled his chin downward and stared him pleadingly in the eye. "Can't you make time for an old friend?" she batted her eyes at him teasingly.

He never recalled giving her the title. He merely assumed she had baptized it on herself. However, he had not seen her in such a long time; and he did not have the nerve to turn her down. He would have given a million sunsets to know why was her smile getting into the way of his decision-making.

He pulled her hand away from his face. "You did want something."

"It won't cost you anything. Well, except maybe your time, but you won't mind, right? After all, you still owe me for missing my birthday. This can substitute for a birthday gift." said she.

Actually, he did have a gift but he would never be able to give it to her now.

So there he was; forced to spend the whole afternoon with her, which he inwardly did not mind, although his actions indicated otherwise. He found himself sitting next to her in a seaside restaurant, eating shrimp and fish, which startlingly suited his taste. When he looked at her from between bites, she greeted him with a knowing smile.

He had no idea how she could identify his preferences.

They were walking back to his car when she gave him a smug look and declared, "Bet you don't know how to play tennis.", which he interpreted as a challenge, and the afternoon ended with him showing her how much of the game he knew.

And when the ball of fire descended from its position in the sky, they were sitting in front of the television. Tokiya stiffened when he felt a sudden weight on his shoulder. Fuuko came absolutely close to scaring him by edging closer and burrowing her head on his neck. A soft snore ensued. Tokiya had finally resigned himself to the fact that the girl used him as her pillow most of the time and leaned back onto the couch, eyes on the weather news.

She awoke after a short while, rubbing her eyes and suddenly jerking away from him like he had suddenly incurred a contagious virus.

"Gomen nasai for inconveniencing you." She said with an inflection that compromised awkward and flippant.

He snorted. "You are an inconvenience alright."

"Hey…" she bapped him on the head with a white cushion pillow, and settled back to her original position, a grin spreading on her lips. "You know what, Mi-chan, your ice block self isn't slighting me anymore. I might even start getting attached to it."

Tokiya grunted.

Fuuko laughed.

"Do us both a favor and don't." Tokiya said.

"It won't hurt, you know." Fuuko lifted a hand to cover a yawn. Then she fell back leaning on the other side of the sofa, and before Tokiya could come up with a retort, she was already sound asleep.

………………………………………………..

The cigarette fell from Hamada Kiro's lips.

"No one provokes the wrath of Kurei and lives to tell about it." The silhouette of a tall man emerged from the shadows. From the form alone, Hamada confirmed his worst fear. Kurei's right hand man stood ominously in front of him, eyes narrowed to slits.

Raiha found him in one of the islands near the Cape of Good Hope, where the fugitive was operating on a marijuana business. There was no mistaking the amount of uprooted plants piled on one side of the small hut.

"Don't you dare come near me." he slurred nervously, groping his belt for his weapon.

Raiha allowed one side of his lips to curve. "Dispel your fears; I'm merely here to teach you a lesson."

A thumping sound reverberated through the room and both heard the sound of a door opening and closing. An old man with disheveled pepper and salt hair ambled into view, supported by a wooded cane. Through bespectacled gray eyes, he glanced at Kiro. "A visitor, Kiro?"

Raiha straightened from his defensive stance and looked towards the direction of the incomer, bowing his head in respect.

Kiro saw his opening and seized it. With one swift motion, he retrieved his pistol from his belt and aimed it at Raiha. Raiha suddenly found himself shoved against a wall, the dessert eagle in Kiro's hand thrust against his neck. "Your loyalty to Kurei beckons your death, you spineless wretch."

Raiha rammed his knee with all the force he could muster at Kiro's groin, causing the latter to curse in pain. "You will pay dearly for that, Raiha." He said spitefully, gripping his pistol with both hands.

One second too late would have sent the ex-raijin wielder six feet underground. Raiha ducked to the left just as a bullet whizzed past his head and he tackled Hamada to the ground, wrestling the gun away from him.

Something was wrong. Why was the dessert eagle, which was aimed straight at his nose, not swerving to the left, where he had directed all his strength and force? Either this man was a counterfeit of Domon Ishijima or Raiha had become weaker.

Kiro was looking at him triumphantly, ignoring protests from the old man who was long since screaming his head off for the two to stop. "I'll take you out of your flesh, Raiha."

"In your dreams." Raiha replied through gritted teeth and with one last surge of strength, managed to revert the pistol's aim away his face.

But the bullet had been fired, and a sickening cry of pain filled the room. The cry was not from him. Raiha's eyes widened as he saw the old man collapse to the ground, followed promptly by his wooden cane. A pool of blood was growing quickly on the space beside him.

"You killed him!" Kiro accused, sharply delivering a punch to Raiha's gut.

Amidst the pain, Raiha felt nothing but the life seeping away from an innocent victim; he heard only his cries; saw nothing but the old man's blood . He could feel the perspiration dripping down from his forehead to his chin, and tears were stinging his eyes. He sensed Kiro's escape yet his will did not allow him to pursue.

Raiha rolled himself to a sitting position and crawled to the old man's side, carefully pushing a hand under his knee and one around his shoulders and prepared to lift him up.

But it was too late. He was dead.

…………………………………..

_If not interested in the author's gripes, stop here. If you don't mind reviewing, please do. _

…………………………………

**Notes:**

Revisions…revisions… How did your reading go?

**Old Author's notes before the revision:**

After a long time, I decide to write again. Partly because I enjoy fanfiction and because of the uplifting messages of encouragement I received from you guys. If I'm not dormant, it's because of Pratz-san who took the time to e-mail me and send me creative juices just when I was pondering what to do with the next fanfic. It's after a book. I hope it's… um, tolerable. Please drop me a review to let me know what you think. That is of course, if you don't mind.


	2. Love Knows No Lies

**Chapter II: Love Knows No Lies**

As soon as he set foot in Japan, Raiha rushed to see Fuuko. The old man, whose name was Keita Arashita, was being dressed for his funeral.

Raiha took a deep breath and walked to the door of her apartment. His hands suddenly felt clammy and a huge lump had formed inside his throat. She told him to return with the antagonist screaming for mercy. But it was the victim who cried for mercy, and he played a part in his death. Kurei would have sneered. If Raiha showed concern, Kurei would have been disgusted. Then he would find a way to wean away any emotion that got in the way of killing out of his right hand man. Raiha felt a shudder run up his spine.

But this was not abut Kurei, this was about Fuuko. To expect mercy from her… when he did not give it to someone else?

He somehow got up the nerve to ring her doorbell.

A minute later footsteps were audible and he found himself staring face to face with the girl who had captured his heart, her bright smile making him wish he were anything but welcome. It didn't escape him that Fuuko looked pretty, as usual, in jeans and a dark blue tank top that accentuated her eyes.

She smiled and he gathered her in his arms.

"I missed you." He whispered. _What have I done…_

"I missed you too." She answered back, tilting her face to kiss his cheek. She drew back quickly and took his hand, leading him to her apartment. "You took longer than I expected. Mission accomplished, I presume?" she quirked her brow in a confident manner and he was disarmed by the smile that toyed on her lips..

The question he dreaded. Raiha shook his head. He patted the space next to him.

Fuuko accepted the invitation and sat down beside him. There was a look of inquiry perched on her eyes.

Raiha sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, relating the stressful chain of events that took place during his journey. He inhaled and steeled himself for the final blow. "There's something else, Fuuko. I discovered that Kiro pressed charges against me; murder, and I'm due in court a month from now."

"The nerve of that man! He's a coward!" Appalled, Fuuko balled her hands into fists and gritted her teeth, all but fuming. "Raiha…" she detected a sad glint in his eyes. The girl suddenly turned to a shade that matched her hair. "I swear, when I see that guy's face, I'll smash his nose in."

Raiha smiled, and took her hand. "I need your help."

She looked at him sideway, as if reading his mind. "You need a lawyer, don't you?"

He rolled his eyes and nodded. "Fuuko, it would be part of my nature to hunt him down and slit his throat. But that's not how you settle the score around here. There are such things as trials. Ordeal has to be solved in the average human way. Kiro is sly because that way, he has the advantage."

"All the while knowing you could take him out of the flesh any time you desire. The Uruha will have a fit when they find out you're putting yourself through trial. Raiha, you don't have to do this."

"I know. I just feel like playing around. To see how normal people deal with these kind of things."

"This isn't a game." She insisted.

Raiha raised a brow at her, touched by her concern. "Fuuko, I'm confident that with the right kind of representation, this thing will be a walk in the park. They are not, in any way, going to incarcerate me."

"You want me to get Mikagami to defend you." she deduced.

"What defendant wouldn't?" he snorted. "No one can equal him in his field. With his sharp mind and eloquent speech, he can twist, turn and impress fear on a person without even trying. He possesses the elements that will level the playing field and eventually defeat Kiro Hamada."

"You sound like a hardcore fan. I see the Mikagami charm has captured you." Fuuko pointed out.

Raiha smiled ruefully. "I got it from you."

Fuuko looked so horrified that he retracted his statement.

"There is a problem, though. I don't think I'll be able to deliver the request in person. Uruha duties. Besides, I doubt a friendly visit would work. Much less the telephone."

Fuuko looked disturbed. "I'll ask him."

Raiha smiled. "Arigato. I doubt Mikagami would refuse you."

"Don't be so sure." Fuuko replied, looking away from him and remaining in detached silence for the rest of the morning.

………………………………………………………..

Mikagami took one look at her firm set jaw, pleading eyes and naively clasped hands and uttered one word of strong conviction. "No."

Due to reasons she could only speculate upon, Fuuko was hoping for an optimistic answer. She had gone to his office, setting her mind to believe that he would at least yield, if not agree to lend her a hand. Especially after seeing her… or rather Raiha's… desperate plight.

She had been wrong, of course. He seemed unsympathetic from the very start. She opened her mouth to protest, risking a glance at the most sought-after lawyer in Japan. The look on his face told her he was going to great lengths to keep from dicing her to pieces.

She clamped her mouth shut, thinking the better of it. A cold feeling of dread washed over her. Raiha's reputation and safety was at stake and all she could do was stare at their "ally" in defeat. Never had she felt so disconcerted in her whole life.

The "ally" had reached for one of his case files and was browsing through it half-heartedly.

_Mi-chan is simply heartless… _she thought. Well, not THAT heartless. She could recall an instance where he took in a penniless client who was who was due in court three days. But why was he making it so difficult for her? She resented the fact that he showed much more sympathy to the stranger than he was showing her now.

Fuuko had to resort to a pathetic amount of whining, but Mikagami paid her no heed. "Fuuko, first of all, it is standard operating procedure for the _client_ to be the one to ask for representation. Next, I have five pending cases, all requiring careful study and investigation. I can't attend to Raiha right now."

Five years ago, given the same predicament, she would have subjected him to death threats and a couple of bruises. This time it was both her pride and her respect for him that restrained her from doing so.

She knew… in his own subtle manner, he had turned her down. Perhaps there would be other lawyers, others who were not as smart as he but available nevertheless.

He didn't care about her. He rejected Raiha, not knowing he rejected her as well.

Fuuko drew herself to her full height, thanked him, and left hastily.

………………………………………..

Mikagami straightened his tie as he stepped into the elevator, which, thankfully, was devoid of its usual share of load. The average person would have spat out a multitude of curses after discovering they were relegated to put their faith in the speed of a pulley, but Mikagami merely stared composedly at the lightened buttons of the elevator, in a manner that implied time was on his side.

It was dark outside the skyscraper, and Mikagami, if not for his keen vision, would have abandoned his quest. Contrary, something inside him decreed that even if struck abruptly by blindness, he would be prohibited to discontinue. He felt stirred by the demand of such mandate, it irritated him front and back to be _following._ _And following what? _He wondered.The very organ that kept him alive? Fuuko always said he didn't have one.

The stark confusion that neutralized him vanished when he saw her lithe form, crossing the street to get to the other side. His instincts took over. He was behind her in no time, and when she stepped off the pedestrian lane, he was at her side.

"Fuuko…" he began softly.

Startled, the girl gasped and almost tripped over her heels. Tokiya let out a wry smile and watched in amusement as the girl sputtered inanities about personally executing his demise. She shot him an aggravated look and sighed, brushing back her hair. "If you want to take a few years off my life, I suggest you try a more original method."

"Why would I want to kill you?" Mikagami asked sarcastically.

Fuuko shook her head hard. Then, looking stonily at him through half-closed lids, "What do you want?" she asked.

He stared at her in an intense manner. "The assurance that no one took advantage of you—unaccompanied—at this hour of the night."

Heat was starting to rise to her cheeks. "You know I hate being treated like a spineless child." She stated in a dry tone. Mi-chan—_Mikagami_ should be thankful she didn't make him the target of bodily attack.

He smirked. "Is it relevant? If I let that knowledge stop me, you might be dead by now."

She lifted her chin at him. "Oh wow. You're actually arguing on the grounds of probability." Fuuko rolled her eyes. "If you think you can read me that well, why can't you figure out that I'm not exactly in the mood to talk to you?"

"That's a defense mechanism, Fuuko. You're just trying to avoid confrontation." He said with a sly inflection.

Fuuko stomped her foot. "Mi-chan, this is getting annoying. Why don't you just cut the crap right to the chase?"

He looked away, but he knew he had her attention. "Compromise. If I finish with the other cases before Friday next week, I'll represent Raiha."

Her jaw dropped open. "You changed your mind?" she scratched her head in disbelief. "so… what's the catch?" she asked, devoid of anything else to ask him. The tumult in her mind had not faded yet.

"There is no catch. My actions are not determined by a price." He gave her a thin-lipped half-smile and turned his back. "Good night Fuuko." Not that he was already regretting it, but the anvil that weighed down on his heart indicated he was feeling anything but pleasant about his decision.

Fuuko intercepted his escape and without thinking, reached out and held on his hand to stop him. Mikagami stopped at the volts of electricity that ran up his arm and arrested him. Sensing his discomfort, Fuuko quickly let go of his hand.

He stood rooted in his place, not wanting to move, waiting for her to speak.

"Thanks, Mi-chan. Sometimes I think you don't deserve me, but actually, it's the other way around." she told him.

He sighed. At least her humor was back. He turned to walk away.

"Where are you going? You're walking me home, remember?"

He retraced his steps back to her, rolling his eyes.

………………………………

_She felt it. All day long, the ambience never left her. She was being watched, and she knew whoever it was wanted something from her. Cold eyes would follow every movement, narrow when she would wander away from the vicinity, and widen as they spotted her. Then she would feel as if she were being trailed her again. She did not fear, for they ought to be the ones to fear her. She had handled the fuujin, one of the world's deadliest weapons, didn't they know?_

_However, while this kick-ass attitude of hers gave her an extra dose of adrenaline when facing an opponent, or an extra surge of confidence, today, it betrayed her. The days passed and she got used to the stares, nicknamed her stalker "blacky" (because he was always in the shadows) and reduced him to nonexistence. She did not even mention him to Mikagami. Why should she? He would not worry about her anyway. She was capable of looking after herself._

_She forgot that he was still watching her every move. _

_And he brought on the siege when she least expected._

_With a katana in tow he followed her when she had left her office to the woods for a dose of fresh air. She sensed, and turned just in time to witness the blade slice through the air where her head had been a second ago. Adorned in black, the enemy lunged at her, only to find his face buried to the ground and bound to it by her shoe. _

"_Relax, little girl. I only want to know something about your friend, Recca Hanabishi." Raspy voice seeped from the black clad stalker. _

_Fuuko's eyebrow twitched. "I am not Recca Hanabishi, you dolt. Neither am I a search engine. But know this, I will not contribute to whatever sordid plan you conjured up against my friend." _

_He grabbed the hilt of his sword and drove it upwards, and a second before it hit the spot between her thighs she jumped out of his range. Two things proceeded. He caught the hilt and he was on his feet. Fuuko started running towards one end of the woods, aware that she had better chances escaping than spending time eluding attacks from the deranged psycho. _

_Deranged was an understatement. He was chasing her, and he aimed the katana at her back and released it in her direction in an attempt to disable her, and whenever he failed (which was very often), he would pull the sword out of a bark of tree or the ground and repeat the process again._

_The chase had gone on for 8 minutes. Fuuko was starting to feel desperate. There was a clearing far ahead and she followed it. Soon, the sound of water falling from a high altitude filled the air. She ran towards it. There was something about the allusion of water to silver… to Mi-chan. _

_She stopped in her tracks. Her sight beheld the edge of a cliff. Below, the jagged edges of rocks were visible. At eye level, water was cascading down from a lengthy height. Her assailant snickered as he stepped out of the canopy into the light, a sick glint in his eye. In one swift gesture, he aimed the katana at her heart and drove it forward. _

_Fuuko had anticipated it. She had no choice but to jump off the cliff and into the misty froth of water crashing against the sharp rocks below. Her demise would await her at the bottom. _

……………………………………………………

_She awoke in the arms of someone. Fuuko was shivering, and her drenched tee-shirt and jeans clung to her body. But she was shivering not because of the cold, nor the thought of hypothermia, but because of the close encounter with death._

_Raiha smiled adorably when she opened her eyes. "De ja vu." He muttered and helped her to a sitting position. _

_Fuuko gasped for air and hugged herself to keep from freezing. "P-pardon? H-how did you find me?" she stammered, closing her eyes as if by doing so, she hoped to reduce the biting cold._

_Raiha nudged out of his khaki jacket and wrapped it around Fuuko's shoulders. Fuuko mumbled something incoherent which Raiha surmised was "Arigato". He quickly dismissed it and before she could object, heaved her up in his arms and walked her to where the sun's rays were gravitated. There he gently positioned her on the grassy lawn and sat by her side. _

"_I was in the area when I saw you jump off the cliff. It was like the last time, Fuuko. The usual scenario… I save you from all that water." _

_Save you…from all that water… why did the last phrase strike a chord within her? There was a pang of sadness that sliced across her heart. _

_Raiha stood up to leave. _

_Fuuko sighed. "Wait. How can I pay you back?"_

_Raiha was almost covered by the towering trees when he turned around and faced her, his eyes crinkling, and when they did it was only when the fuujin-girl was around. "No. The very thing I want from you cannot be bought. One cannot buy love, Fuuko." _

_And then she was alone._

………………………………

One cannot buy love…

But he was wrong. She could give him her heart. He had asked for it, sometimes subtly, sometimes explicitly, over and over again.

Finally, she gave it to him. Because it was better to give it away than to waste it on someone who didn't care.

…………………………………………………

**Notes:**

I just love the Tok-fuu pairing.

To pratz, my beta reader and more, thanks for bearing with me.

For all your vote(s) of confidence, I humbly extend my gratitude. As always, the notion to discontinue has been defeated thanks to you. Reviewers, many thanks.

I'll try my best to update every week, this will be a fast-paced fic not exceeding 8 chapters. For comments, suggestions, remarks of all sorts… please be kind enough to send me a review. Thanks, happy reading.


	3. Love is Sacrifice

**Chapter III Love is Sacrifice**

_Disclaimer: If dreams really came true, I would have owned FOR a long time ago. Enjoy… or at least try to. _

Mikagami reached for the cup of coffee, while ignoring the symptoms of a migraine. As usual, he was working overtime. His secretary, Kagaki Sashita, had left three hours ago. It was past twelve midnight and he had read 109 clippings, profiles, and backgrounds of different people, places and events relevant to the next case, which would be presented in three days. Once he got it over and done with, he would have a week's rest before the next batch of phone calls requesting for defense lawyers would roll in.

He looked around him. On extravagantly wallpapered ramparts of his spacious office hung certificates of distinguished accomplishments. A cabinet on one side displayed endless rows of plaques of recognition. The average person would conclude these things would secure happiness; but he hardly shot them a glance. He liked his job, yes, but most of the time he felt like an empty workaholic. He might as well have been a robot. The work was routine, the process monotonous, the hours strenuous.

Tokiya shut down his computer and proceeded to double check the separate file where he had segregated the most vital documents for the next case. His client, a man over 60 had been grating his nerves with incessant phone calls, badgering and cajoling about witness number one with flowery words that when stripped off, spelled out, "I can't afford to lose this case." If it were not for his innate capability to stay cool in spite of a desperate situation, he would have sliced his client in half.

_What a comforting thought…_

Now there was one thing he had to do. Keep his word. He reached for the phone and dialed Raiha's number, not flinching at the thought of the ungodly hour it was, for he doubted that Raiha slept at all anyway.

…………………………………………..

"No offense, but Mikagami is a real jerk." Raiha told Fuuko the next day after a three-hour meeting with his lawyer. He tossed his coat on Fuuko's lap and started the engine. Raiha, usually suave and good looking as ever at the end of the day, looked ruffled and disheveled, like he had met a tornado instead of the defense lawyer.

Fuuko guffawed and poked him in the arm with a fist. "Watch it, he's contagious." she said as they drove away.

…………………………………………………….

"You just said no to a game of darts." Recca's jaw dropped disbelievingly. Slits of what was eyes bored through Mikagami, who continued to type furiously with a dose of ease that added another level to Recca's annoyance.

"Do you mind? You're in the way." Tokiya adjusted his eyeglasses and thumped away at the keyboard, oblivious to Recca's existence.

Recca lifted a brow. "What are you doing? You never let your cases interfere with our games."

Tokiya pushed the enter button and placed his hands on the sides of his armchair. "Raiha's case. I want to get it done and over with. It's becoming an interference."

Recca knew that if Yanagi were present, they would have shared a knowing smile.

………………………………………

"Care to run that by me again?" Kurei interlocked the fingers of both hands and leaned his chin on them. He was having trouble reciprocating the fact that his right-hand man had just listed a first on his failure list.

Raiha flinched inwardly. With a flat tone, he blurted out, "He got away. I let him. There were things I just could not ignore." That was the closest to tactful as he could get.

A menacing edge crept into Kurei's tone. "Oh? And those demands are more important than your life?" He burst into an ironic laugh that sent chills running up and down Raiha's spine. "For three weeks, you had disappeared into oblivion. Today, you have the nerve to show up and tell me that you failed in your mission. You know what I do to those who disobey me. Looks like you have a lesson or two to learn about setting priorities."

_Simply unforgivable_. Kurei frowned at his right-hand man with all the contempt his face would permit. Granted, Raiha was always counted upon to perform a task, always the swiftest, always the most efficient. But something had gone wrong, and Kurei would not tolerate that. His men were assassins. Yet this particular favorite of his had turned into a spineless crustacean, and this was because of a certain girl.

"You will lose her soon, Raiha."

Kurei did not particularly care if his men flirted with girls, so long as they were objects, not obsessions; it was his men's performance that he was after. Uruha and lover did not belong to the same sentence.

Kurei sent his companion a thought-provoking smile. "I just remembered, our adversaries in Spain have a left us a big debt. You will collect. I must warn you, it might take time. I doubt you will be able to identify, track, and haul their pathetic carcasses here in merely a year. You might _consider_ dropping everything in your hands for this special charge." His eyes spoke volumes about what would happen if he would challenge the emphasized term.

Raiha raised his eyes to level with the masked flame-caster's. "Done." He said simply, monotonously.

………………………………………….

"This way, sir." a green-haired girl flashed a toothy grin at the visitor and extended a hand in the direction of the opened door of Judge Tomoyoko's office.

Hamada Kiro returned the smile, though in a rather dour manner, and walked through the oak doors, clenching the briefcase tightly to his chest. It had cost him a fortune to hire a private investigator to research on the judge's background and he was again on the verge of paying a king's ransom to bribe the senile judge. Not that he feared it, anyway. He would simply flash the money in the old man's face and the judge would most likely cave in.

The judge's secretary gave him permission to enter after he informed her of his appointment and she buzzed at the intercom. Hamada fastidiously guarded his wealth. When Raiha was behind bars, he would no longer worry about some moron running after his hard-earned, sweat-induced money. Not to mention his precious life.

He gave a disturbing grin at the thought of getting back to his marijuana plantation in Columbia just in time for harvest.

………………………………………….

It was four days of no sleep, suffering the presence of Fuuko's boyfriend, watching their public display of affection (although very subtle, e.g. Raiha sliding an arm around Fuuko and pressing her close and Fuuko resting a hand on his knee), non-stop interrogation and research for Mikagami.

On the fifth day, he was completely burned out, physically and emotionally; yet a hundred and one percent confident they would win the case with no glitch at all. Only a fool without the aid of common sense would overlook Raiha's innocence.

For some strange reason, Raiha behind bars appealed to him, he still disliked the man. But he liked Fuuko enough not to say anything.

It was early morning when he got home, and he brewed himself a cup of coffee and checked his answering machine. There were 5 messages.

_Message 1: Ganko, 5:00 p.m., 8/14_

_Hi!... (almost hear a grin at the other end.) How've you been doing? I was wondering if you had some books on Humanities? I kind of need them for my report. Arigato, and Fuuko-neechan who's beside me right now says hi. (series of giggles before she is evidently elbowed by someone else and the line is cut.)_

_Message 2: Kazuki, 6:30 p.m., 8/14_

_Sir, the signal's awful in this place. I just left Cape of Good Hope with the photos you asked for._

_Message 3: Anonymous, 7:45 p.m., 8/14_

_Hey… (giggle, giggle) you're obviously not home (giggle, giggle, giggle). Wanna be phone pals?_

_Message 4: Recca, 8:05 p.m., 8/14_

_Konbanwa, Mikagami. Kagero's planning a little get-together tomorrow at dinner time. Could you pass the message to Fuuko if you see her? I know you see each other a lot these days._

_Message 5: Fuuko, 5:00 a.m., 8/15_

_Tsk, tsk. Can't quit your vampire activities, I see. I'm dropping by to check on your on your eating habits._

It couldn't get more ambiguous than that. But if he knew Fuuko, she would probably show up...

The doorbell rang, and with a sigh, Mikagami dragged himself to the front door.

...with a bag of doughnuts or something.

Mikagami unlocked the front door and found Fuuko holding a bag of croissants and wearing a broad grin. "Hi, Mi-chan!" The grin left her face at the sight of him. "You look so... um, sleep-deprived."

His lips formed a thin line. "I'm not in the mood for any of your antics, Fuuko."

"Right..." Fuuko said in between spurts of laughter. "Change that line, Mi-chan. You've been quoting it since time immemorial. My ear drums are suffering from monotony." She pushed her way into his house before he could further protest. "Regardless, I know you're in the mood for coffee and croissants."

Mikagami cleared his throat as he followed Fuuko into his kitchen. The girl was already bustling around, finding the necessary breakfast utensils. He was genuinely surprised at how adept she was at finding her way through his kitchen.

He could recall mornings like this. She called it a "routine", he insisted on "disturbance".

As usual, she talked through the most part of the meal. She did not hold qualms about discussing the breadth of topics that crossed her mind. She told him about Recca's job, updated him on the latest meteorological findings and asked his advice on an impending project at work.

He would refrain from commenting unless absolutely necessary. He would answer her question with perfect conciseness and all the logic in the world. Sometimes they debated on an issue, sometimes he took her side. It would depend. This time he was forced to talk when she asked how he was doing. And she didn't mean work, she stated. She would not accept general statements. A big fan of blow-by-blow details, she would ask him to elaborate until such time that he was finding it easy to talk.

It would end with her biding him goodbye after he walked her to the door. As a gentleman, he always felt obligated to ask if she wanted a ride home. She would always say no and reasoned that she would jog or walk… "to aid digestion".

Then he would close the door and think of her until he had to go back to work.

…………………………………………………

Mikagami had scheduled a meeting with Shinta Takamuyo who was Kiro Hamada's lawyer. He disliked the man at first sight. He emitted an arrogant aura, and was sipping a tobacco cigarette as if it were tea on a Sunday afternoon.

Shinta sneered as he scrutinized his opponent. He was not expecting the great Tokiya Mikagami to represent the murderer, he commented. Mikagami kept his cool as usual and tried to arrange a settlement, explaining that Hamada would be faced with possible future charges for illegal arm possession, and owning half a hectare of marijuana if he did not withdraw now. Shinta merely flicked an eyebrow and asked, "So, what's your point? What you know, you can never prove in a million years."

Tokiya coolly interlocked his fingers and leaned his chin on them. Hamada clearly forgot that he was Tokiya Mikagami, and he had not lost a case yet. He asked for the last time if Shinta's client would dismiss the case. Shinta vehemently refused.

Tokiya stood up to leave. "See you in court." were his last words.

…………………………………………………

In room 8, the trial was about to commence. Raiha sat at the defense table, donning a look of impassivity that could rival his lawyer's. Mikagami, who was seated next to him switched off his cellular phone after speaking with someone.

"I don't even know why I put up with this." Raiha muttered, passing an irate look at Mikagami.

Tokiya wondered the same thing. It was silly, almost uproarious, to put an Uruha on the defense stand. Maybe it was their code of honor. Mikagami knew how fastidious Kurei's men were about honor and dignity and although he would not openly declare it, he understood and respected his client's decision to pursue the case.

Judge Tomoyoko, a friend of Mikagami, was presiding the case, and he flashed a look of genuine surprise in Tokiya's direction before taking his place on the bench. The clerk passed over a court calendar to the judge.

Shinta Takamuyo pulled himself to his full height on the appearance of the judge, and by the meaningful look Kiro Hamada shot at the judge from his seat, Tokiya was led to surmise something had transpired outside the court. He was not the only one who noticed the gesture, though. Raiha's eyes were narrowed as he interpreted the interaction.

The case of the People of the State of Japan vs. Raiha had began.

Shinta and Mikagami took turns questioning the jurors, and while Tokiya's was smooth, skillful and flawless, the other was reckless although intellectual, as if the procedure was insignificant.

The prosecutor, Tomoyuko, rose up for his statement. "There is no doubt that the defendant is guilty as accused. He committed murder. This was the scenario. Raiha had threatened my client's life when the victim, Kiro Hamada, entered the house. At that exact point in time, my client was struggling with Raiha over possession of a desert eagle. When the defendant claimed advantage, he simply pulled the trigger and killed the victim. He did it out of rage and lust, nothing else. That is cold-blooded murder, without the excuse of any feelings, done under the sheer pleasure of killing. You would determine the punishment of this crime. We are here for the simple reason that my client craves justice for the death of his friend. Later, we will present evidence that Raiha is responsible for killing Keita Arashi. Thank you."

Raiha clenched a fist under the bench. Mikagami gave him a look that communicated he had better keep his cool.

Tokiya stood up to address the jury and the court. A series of whispers circulated the room as the lawyer began his speech. "Ladies and gentlemen, listening to the attack on my client, pronouncing him guilty without verdict exhibits a perverted impression of the truth. To declare that my client is guilty of murder, or that he killed at all is no more than an ill-conceived claim. Attorney Tamayuko used the phrase "cold-blooded murder". Again, that is his own idea. We would all agree on a common view: Every man has the right to protect his own life. If my client had not done so, then there would be two, not one death to be recorded. Under the law of our state, the prosecution must prove that the act of killing was not performed in self-defense. That is all."

……………………………..

**Notes:**

Raiha really doesn't have a last name, does he? Hehehehe….

People, I have never been in a courtroom scenario so forgive me if I failed miserably in concocting one.

_A round of applause in pratz' direction, thanks for meticulously editing this chapter._

_Chapter 3 was written…_

_1. To honor Flare-Chaa's request for me to update soon. Thanks for being appreciative of the pairing._

_2. To atone for khy's lapse in study time and hope she will study this chapter. joke, joke, joke. Thank you for the great tips I was not conscious of. It helped a lot, the charge is murder now. Putting your political science knowledge to use I see… thanks for the encouragement. Hope we see the 6th chapter of BLT soon._

_3. To reinforce damouse' love for mi-chan. Thank you so very much, I cherish your reviews and I assure you that when I get rich I'll buy you a laptop of your own so that you won't have to comply with the monotonous decrees of library rules. _

_4. for Kaze Yurei who I've missed lots ( Where've you been, girl?) and who trusts in the "I don't deserve you." statement. Hmm, I think I was aiming for the "you've-helped-me-in-a-big-way-i-don't-deserve-it" impression. J_

_5. for my ally, TETOT99 who still reads this despite my bias. I promise I'll deviate from pushing Raiha into the background. _

_6. To keep LadyPenquin in suspense. I hope you like this. _

_7. for Massao28 who has flattered me to bits. Mula sa kaibuturan ng aking puso, nagpapasalamat ako. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. _

_Guys, for the next update… expect the unexpected okay? Please review if you have the time. _


	4. Love is Just

**Chapter IV Love is Just**

The jury was out for three hours and it was exactly four in the afternoon. It was a court recess, which Tokiya Mikagami had called for. Shinta Tamayuko left for a break. Raiha had just been cross-examined and looked as cool and confident as he did before he took the stand.

They hailed Mikagami for being a genius. The prosecutor mentioned the weapon, the gun that the two men had wrestled over. Tamayuko claimed that the gun possessed Raiha's fingerprints. _Only _Raiha's fingerprints. Mikagami exposed the superimposition by reasoning with aids of nuclear physics that the evidence had been tampered with. He proposed an alternative method to reveal whose identity was originally embedded in the gun along with Raiha's. Mr. Tamayuko objected on grounds that the other person was not significant; the actual evidence was nowhere to be found and that the parameters were confined to _Raiha vs. The State of Japan_ only. The third party should be dealt with a separate investigation. Surprisingly, the objection was sustained. This ruffled Mikagami slightly but he maintained his composure.

Ten minutes later the courtroom was almost empty.

……………………………………………

On his way out of the men's room, the judge met Shinta Tamayuko, who wore a triumphant look on his face.

_The jerk._ Judge Tomoyoko thought.

"Did your boys receive our humble gifts?" Shinta asked the judge.

Tomoyoko almost snorted at the irony, knowing Shinta referred to the all-expense-paid tickets to Italy. The jurors were clamoring nonstop about them. He had received one himself. He nodded absently and took a step towards his office. Shinta released a delirious laugh.

Tomoyoko tried to think but he could not dismiss the look Mikagami threw him in the courtroom. Too late. The boy knew. Mikagami was the type who could reciprocate the littlest details. Tomoyoko tried to justify.

What was a financially-challenged man like himself supposed to do… he had a large debt to pay and his debtors posed a threat to slit his throat if he didn't pay within the established grace period… he wasn't stupid enough to turn down a bribe when he was desperately wanting.

But if he'd have to pay with his own integrity… Tomoyoko shook his head at his lack of foresight. Light was dawning on him. He was a judge, and he had preached in Mikagami's class about impartiality, stressing the moral side of the law.

A thin line formed across his lips. _Money should never compensate for justice._

And one had to stoop very very low to accept a bribe from a monster like Hamada. The pig. To flaunt his wealth and assume the position of a puppeteer, toying around with people who had minds of their own. He should be in jail, not Raiha.

Judge Takamuyo could not believe he how he almost blew it.

…………………………………………….

"This case is rigged." Kaoru Koganei told Ganko as they strolled along the park outside the court.

Ganko bit her lip and folded her arms across her chest. "I can tell. The jurors were unusually sympathetic to that Takamuyo guy."

"Mikagami's gonna lose this one." Kaoru deduced.

Ganko's jaw dropped open. "Who died and made you judge? As always, Mikagami has the sympathy of majority, I still think he has more than a fighting chance."

Kaoru shook his head and placed his hands on the pockets of his jeans. "Ganko, he'll lose because he's fighting fairly."

…………………………………………

Raiha tried to camouflage his flaring temper as he breezed out of the courtroom and into the cold, dark night. The jurors and the judge had reached a decision, but not one he was hoping for. The verdict would be declared after sixty days of careful evaluation of evidence and detailed study of the testimonies of the witnesses. Until then, he would be held in custody. Mikagami was talking about his right to bail when he decided he had enough of this crap and walked out on his not-so-pleased lawyer.

He was an Uruha assassin, for crying out loud! He'd wasted enough time playing their games. Petty, disgusting, perverted, and blind. Those were his thoughts on the justice system. The prompting voice spoke in his mind again: Escape. They would never find him. And if they did, they wouldn't lift a finger on him.

He scolded himself for sinking down to their level, allowing Kiro Hamada to have his way by this whole trial game. Raiha crumpled a fist and stared at the field of light below the hill. An incredible wave of rage flooded through his body, and he felt his skin crawl as the animal in him howled for freedom.

His human nature had decided to take matters into his own hands. But it was time to let the assassin in him step in and handle things.

Raiha loved Fuuko, but he knew he could not bear dragging her into the entire mess he was about to fall into. Kurei was right about setting priorities.

He knew when he was going to sacrifice his happiness, he was sticking to his commitment to the Uruha and he was ridding the world of pests like Hamada.

But for crying out loud… what about Fuuko? As long as he was an Uruha, he could never have her. The job demanded too much.

He braced himself for the blow he was about to receive, reached for his cell phone and dialed her number.

………………………………………..

Kiro Hamada waited patiently until only the light in Judge Tomoyoko's office radiated illumination in the entire building. He raced up the stairway leading to the judge' chamber. With a menacing growl he barged through the doors with such a frightening velocity that Tomoyoko's eyes widened and he pushed the oak table hard enough to send a lamp crashing to the floor.

"I thought we had an arrangement." A crumpled fist pounded against the cluttered table.

"No. We don't." the judge took out a manila envelope from the cabinet behind him. "Not anymore." He flung it across the table to Hamada's side for him to inspect.

Hamada recognized its' content. The bulk of checks and cash stashed inside were from his account. The packing tape was still intact, suggesting the money was untouched.

"You treacherous fiend…" A cloudy look took on the drug lord's face.

The judge frowned. "How dare you associate me with yourself."

He leaned forward and spoke clearly. "It is regret for the things I did not do that is inconsolable. If I did not prevent myself from accepting your bribe, I would spend an eternity rotting in hell."

"Very noble… in fact, why wait?" With seething rage, Hamada pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the judge' chest. Tomoyoko displayed no startled reaction, as though he had anticipated such a reaction. He closed his eyes and awaited his death. The last thing he saw was the pistol… it was a dessert eagle, very much similar to the weapon the fiscal had described a while back. They never got possession of the evidence. His heart hammered at the revelation.

…………………………………………………..

"Mighty nice of you to walk out on me." Fuuko glared at him with an intensity that made him feel like a knife had just been thrust into his heart.

"You should excuse me. I needed time out, otherwise I'd be tried all over again for murdering the prosecutor." Raiha replied as they both walked side by side on the grassy lawn of a nearby park.

"You should know that most of the witness' testimonies were perjured, and it was inconceivable how those witnesses were produced in the first place." Fuuko tightened her sweater around herself to ward off the biting cold.

"Kiro had the money." Raiha spat out bitterly. "I want to cut to the chase, Fuuko."

Fuuko, not used to such abruptness, especially from Raiha, stopped in her tracks to face him. "okay," she said cautiously. "spill."

Raiha looked away from her and steeled his expression. "I won't be around for long. Uruha has me assigned to undertake a _special_ business trip."

She frowned at the emphasized term. So, he was deserting her again… for Uruha… She was starting to get sick of this treatment. "You're doing it again."

He sighed, mentally kicking himself for thinking she'd let him off the hook so easily. "I have obligations that rank higher than watching a monopolized board game take place of my life."

Fuuko repressed the tide of anger that was threatening to explode and merely nodded. "I guess it does appear shallow from an Uruha's point of view. You're used to controlling people, not letting them control you." She could not keep the sarcasm from creeping into her voice.

"I wouldn't choose those terms. The point of this entire conversation…" he took a deep breath and froze in his spot. "is to terminate the relationship we're having."

Fuuko turned to him sharply and one second after his mind was reeling from the sudden pain, and a red spot had formed itself on his left cheek.

"I deserved that." Raiha said, flinching from the slap.

Fuuko balled her hands into fists, looked down and bit her lip to keep the onslaught of obscenities from flowing.

Raiha continued. "You're probably thinking that I'm doing this because I just lost my wits. But I feel as if I can see clearly. I'm doing this for you."

"For me? How is it for me?"

"You're not happy." Raiha sighed and took her hand. "Fuuko, I care so deeply about you that I don't want you to be involved in the mess I've tangled myself in."

He could read the doubt in her eyes. Stepping closer, he engulfed her in a warm embrace, probably the last. He pulled her closer and savored the contact. "But I am bound to Uruha."

Fuuko's arms tightened around his neck. Life could be cruel sometimes. He was going to desert her just as she was deciding to desert her feelings for… _someone else. _ "I'll miss you so much, Raiha." She managed a weak smile as she pulled away. "A while ago, you said something about priorities. I wonder if Kurei has anything to do with it…"

"Pep talk." Raiha said as they approached her car.

"Keep in touch." Fuuko stood on her toes for another hug. "I won't stop caring for you."

Raiha reached out and stroked her cheek one last time. "I don't think you realized that I've stood between you and your happiness."

Fuuko's left eyebrow arched. "I don't get it…"

He lifted her chin so that he could gaze straight into her eyes. He loved her eyes, loved the way they spoke volumes. He donned a sad smile and said, "One cannot buy love, Fuuko."

Raiha turned his back and walked into the misty night, until all Fuuko could make out of him was a speck.

………………………………………….

Kiro Hamada fired the bullet before dropping to the ground, unconscious.

The pain was taking awfully long to introduce itself on Judge Tomoyoko's body. After 10 painful seconds of waiting, the judge finally opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Hamada's crumpled form against a wall, a trace of blood trickling down his lips. There was a broken vase on one side of the room, the victim of the stray bullet. Behind Hamada, Tokiya Mikagami stood ominously with an undecipherable glint in his eyes.

Lucky for Tomoyoko, the glint was directed towards Hamada's fallen figure.

The judge gasped. "Is he…?"

He shook his head slowly. "Paralyzed, yes. But not dead."

"Mikagami, I just realized he possessed the weapon that killed Keita Arashita." The judge stood up and brushed his suit after he straightened his eyeglasses.

"Res ipso loquitor." Mikagami coolly replied. He walked to the judge' side and helped him to his feet. Tomoyoko chuckled at the familiarity of the phrase. It had always been his motto, something he always mentioned in class. The evidence speaks for itself—res ipso loquitor.

"I'm fine." The judge brushed dirt off his sleeves. "The only thing injured is my dignity."

Mikagami retrieved the closed manila envelope and held it in plain sight. "Your dignity is intact."

"It's humiliating, Mikagami. To think I almost succumbed." He hung his head in remorse. "There were factors. But all not worth compromising."

Mikagami was not consoling him. He was merely standing in the doorway, a shadow on his face. But Tomoyoko was used to him, so he staggered to the telephone and dialed security. "Hamada will be arrested as soon as he recovers consciousness." He turned to Mikagami briskly with an afterthought. "What did you come to see me for, Mikagami?"

Mikagami lifted an eyebrow. "Nothing. I saw Hamada sneaking around, so I decided to investigate."

"Good of you, Mikagami. Won't you ask evaluation for the verdict?"

Footsteps reverberated through the halls, and soon, panting police officers with walkie-talkies barricaded through the doors. One bulky officer rushed to judge' side and started fussing over him. "Get the good judge some bandages and make it snappy!"

Another one pulled Mikagami to a corner and started interrogating him. Mikagami bade the judge farewell after being interviewed by another officer. They shook hands and the judge told Mikagami that his client had been acquitted of the charges pressed against him.

………………………………………………….

Fuuko wiped her eyes as she slid into the driver's seat of her Jaguar. She turned on the ignition. He knew, all the while.

Groaning, she hit her head on the wheel over and over again. She missed Raiha already, and it caused unbearable pain that he knew the truth but chose to keep it to himself. She never aimed or wished for grief to interfere.

Fuuko realized she could have fallen in love with Raiha…

She could have… but she didn't.

She didn't give her heart to Raiha after all. It still belonged to... someone else.

………………………………………………………………

Mikagami was in a foul mood. It had been three long days. He was on a break from his job, and the last 62 hours were spent poring over every piece of reading material in the house, beating Kaoru consistently at chess and obliging to Judge Tomoyoko's request of assistance on a research proposal. Occasionally, Hanabishi dropped by for coffee and because he was engaged in a project related to the state constitution, he sought Mikagami's counsel. Mikagami accepted this, but it was not Recca's face he was particularly interested in seeing.

His cell phone rang and Raiha's number registered on the screen.

"Ohayo. I just wanted to know if you received the package." Raiha said as soon as he answered. Mambo music was playing in the background.

"Yes." Mikagami frowned. The package contained a check for his services, but he wondered about the address. Somewhere in Barcelona.

"Good." Raiha replied. The next few minutes was spent with both of them reduced to listening to mambo music.

"You're acquitted." Mikagami said after awhile.

"I couldn't care less." Raiha muttered, and then drew in a deep breath. It took a while before he spoke. "This is rather out-of-business, but it concerns you. It's over between Fuuko and me. I chose Uruha over her.." He paused, and Mikagami detected an emotional slur in his tone. "Will you take care of her for me?"

Mikagami's eyes narrowed to slits. The gall of this man… breaking her heart and expecting a favor from HIM in return.

Raiha continued. "I know you will. I don't have to ask."

Quickly, his thoughts shifted to Fuuko. With an icy voice, he spoke into the receiver. "It goes without saying that if you hurt her, I will see that your blood is spilt."

Raiha was thoughtful for a moment. "I was right. Not everything has to be conveyed with words. She means a lot to you. You have to take care of her then. You should have done that a long time ago. You would have, I know. I just had great timing. But good luck anyway. Not that you need it."

………………………………………..

**Notes:**

Hope you enjoyed reading. Tell me if you liked it…..


	5. Love is Inevitable

**Chapter V Love is Inevitable**

_Dedicated to pratz, who I always turn to._

There had been moments when he battled different urges, some of which demanded that he at least check up on her, like she did whenever he was unheard of or out of sight. That was the pattern of their friendship. He thought about her endlessly. Was she heartbroken? Then as a friend he should go to her. But the thought of her mourning over another man… he couldn't…

Three weeks and counting… He was always the first to know about the details of her life. She treated him as her confidante. Although why was beyond him. That was Fuuko. Never really thinking about her decisions. Why would she pick the coldest person on earth to share herself with? One day she just decided to bare her soul to him. Why him? He was just her ex-teammate and nothing else. _Him­—_Tokiya Mikagami, of all people. She chose him. Not Recca, not even Raiha.

It made him feel… like he was special to her.

_Whatever._ He snorted, pouring himself another shot of whiskey. _She gave that right to Raiha, not you. _

He despised the vulnerable feeling that engulfed his chest. Hated the fact that his thoughts would always drift back to her. Loathed the truth that he was reminiscing the days of happy friendship and was inwardly craving for more.

It was starting to sink in.

He missed her.

………………………………………………..

She certainly hoped it was a mirage.

But no person in the world had Mikagami's eyes. They were like pale, icy orbs of cerulean and they told the whole story of his life. Fuuko wondered if he knew that—or if she should tell him. Come to think of it, there were a number of things she wanted to tell him. He had lived in her mind these past couple of weeks…

A soft smile graced her lips as she glanced at him from behind a bookshelf. What would he do if she suddenly ran in his direction and threw her arms around him like she did last time? Sighing, she stepped behind another bookshelf.

Fuuko found what she was looking for, a book entitled _Kamikaze_ and quickly purchased it. He never looked up.

On her way out of the bookstore she stole another glance at him. She noticed that he had slipped on glasses while reading the summary of a book and that the crisp, impeccable lawyer look was clearly on vacation. He was dressed so nicely in khaki jeans and a black turtleneck that Fuuko was finding it hard not to…erm, for lack of a more decent term, drool.

She left the bookstore in a heartbeat.

…………………………………………………………..

It was one of those beautiful days.

And Mikagami decided to spend it with the Hokage. Domon had procured a boat and was anxious for a test drive of some sort, and so Recca and Yanagi had arranged lunch by the lake. Ganko and Kaoru almost came to the point of blackmail before Mikagami finally relented and agreed to show up.

Mikagami parked his BMW and took a ten-minute hike to the site. When he arrived, Ganko and Kaoru were already paddling off to the middle of the lake and Domon was yelling instructions that was falling on deaf ears. On the picnic table, Yanagi and Kitsura were chattering about some topic he did not bother to find out while they were slicing celery and potatoes. Recca was setting up the grill.

Everyone noticed him at one point or another, saying hello or waving. He just nodded and settled under the tree where he had written two or three poems before. This time he had no desire to create poetry. For one thing, he was lacking inspiration. So he merely took out his copy of Les Miserables and began reading.

Thirty minutes later, and he was soaking up the solitude and had almost finished three-fourths of the novel when Recca strode up to him, crunching on a carrot stick.

"Too bad Fuuko's not here. Isn't this your spot? The two of you?" his eyes showed amusement.

Mikagami shot him a cold stare, but at the back of his mind he was fighting the urge to ask where she was.

Recca dismissed the glare. He was used to it. The shivers had dissipated a long time ago. "Les Miserables." He pronounced it incorrectly. "This is what—the fifth time you've read that?"

Mikagami had reached the last chapter. "What is it, Hanabishi?"

Recca flashed him a sheepish grin. "Know how to operate the grills?"

Mikagami sighed and put down the book. He followed Recca down the hill. Domon was already having a tantrum out of sheer frustration of trying to work the grills but failing.

"Idiot." Mikagami said, and told them they were supposed to shove in the charcoal before anything else.

The girls (with the exception of Ganko) prepared a delicious meal of Ceasar's salad, rice, sushi, another fish dish and dumplings while Recca and Mikagami took care of barbecue.

Yanagi called Ganko, Kaoru and Domon, who were admiring the boat and they all gathered around the table.

"Where's Fuuko?" Ganko demanded. She glanced at Mikagami for an answer.

He didn't offer any kind of response.

"She's missing a lot." Kitsura commented.

"And someone's missing her a lot." Kaoru said coyly, winking at Tokiya.

The girls broke into identical grins, while Kaoru laughed burst into cataclysmic laughter and Domon joined in. Recca was annoying Mikagami by hooting.

Domon chose the moment to quote. "The course of true love never did run smooth."

"Honey. That's Shakespeare!" Kitsura exclaimed, shocked.

………………………………………………………..

It was pouring when she got to the clearing. She was drenched to the bone and also very, very late. She was counting on the vague fact that she would meet one of her friends along the way and she'd ask for a lift back to town. Then she could manage.

It wasn't her fault. The alarm clock refused to cooperate.

There was no one in the picnic area but she knew they had been there. The left-over charcoal told as much.

It also occurred to her that she would be very sick soon, and though she was not one who feared contracting the flu, she figured it was not worth taking the risk.

Fuuko approached the nearest tree for cover.

It happened to be the one she and Mi-chan sat under, when she wished she had his talent. The fuujin girl smiled at the memory and sat on one of its large, protruding roots, hugging her knees to her chest.

She watched as small needles pelted the lake and disturbed its translucent surface.

Fuuko pulled out her cell phone from her pocket. "Recca, I would appreciate a lift."

Thirty very slow minutes passed by and she was enduring the cold, the rain, and the possibility of colds. The rain didn't look like it would stop and she was not going to wait for it to.

She heard the very familiar sound of a certain vehicle. When she turned around, a BMW was parked there and its owner stepped out slowly. He was holding an umbrella in one hand and a towel in the other.

Tokiya Mikagami was walking to her.

She was so surprised her jaw dropped open.

Mikagami looked every inch irritated as he threw the towel around her shoulder. "You look pathetic."

Fuuko's eyes weakened, and it was not because of the weather. It was because the way he looked at her always made her doubt the stability of her knees. And her heart, for that matter. "How'd you find me?"

He sighed. "Footprints. Simple logic."

She wasn't in the mood to deal with his sarcasm.

"Mi-chan, don't deflect. You told me not to evade confrontations and I'm taking your advice. There are two things I want to tell you." She said. "I missed you. And I love you, you know." She said simply, naturally.

Mikagami was about to lead the way back to the car but her words stopped him. Slowly, their eyes met at a point of intersection.

He couldn't believe his ears. She did it…she told him she loved him.

Mikagami took one step closer to her. His thumb brushed lightly across her cheek. His eyes gazed intensely at hers and she wondered irrelevantly if he knew his eyes had silver flickers in them.

The blush on her face deepened and she felt her hands tremble.

His eyes were always cloudy. Now they were not. They were brilliant, beautiful to her. No hint of anger, no trace of annoyance. A trace of love started to surface in them.

_Mi-chan. Finally. I see you…_

He was her perfect hiding place. She ran to him when she needed to lash out, and he never reprimanded her, he would always listen.

She felt herself reach out and tuck the stray strands of silver behind his ear.

His eyes…. He was the first whose eyes burned into hers, who searched her soul, they surfaced the buried, forgotten feelings of love… for him, always for him, ONLY for him.

She placed a hand to one side of his cheek and caressed it.

His cool aura comforted her in times when she was hurt, but he never knew… never even had an idea that in those moments it was he who healed her.

Her fingers formed a downward trail from his cheek that ended at his shoulder, and she wrapped her other hand around his neck.

Now she saw the evidence… of how much she had fallen for him and how long she already loved him.

Tokiya gazed uncertainly into her eyes. She was breaking the wall he had built all these years. Would he let her…? He already did. He already loved her.

Mikagami gently placed his arms around her waist. He gazed deeply into her eyes, as if asking permission.

She pulled him closer to her. He leaned down, closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers. A shock of electricity flowed through her as his lips moved against hers. She felt the arms around her waist tighten, and felt him press her drenched body to his. She drowned in his scent, was buried in his arms.

She had wanted to kiss him for such a long time. It felt like heaven.

It was a long time before the kiss ended, and Mikagami crushed her in his embrace. She could feel his heart beating wildly, and he could sense that she was out of breath. But she tightened her arms around him.

The umbrella fell to the ground, long-forgotten.

…………………………………………………..

"Hey… is that Fuuko?" Yanagi shielded her eyes from the sun and looked towards the horizon where two figures were emerging.

Recca smiled. "She's with Mikagami."

Ganko was fanning the air rapidly, as if she were going to faint. "He's holding her hand."

Kaoru grinned cheekily. "Finally."

…………………………………………………

_Notes:_

_Yes! Now they're together! I did something with the scene when they fell into each other's arms, it was too short the last time, and severely lacking in details, in terms of the kiss I mean, hehehehehehee. _

_At long last, it's over. I am ecstatic, delighted, joyful, blissful… hehehe, you get the picture, Sorry for keeping you waiting, it's the usual excuse. Hectic schedule, no time to breathe, you've heard it all before. There's an epilogue, btw… you don't have to read it because it doesn't really change anything but if you don't mind, why not? My thank you's are at the end._

_Thank you so much for the reviews. _


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"Enjoying Spain?" a thin voice inquired. Later, the full view of a twisted grin emerged from the shadows.

The recipient of the question did not answer. His view was the fading palette of colors on the canvas of the sky. Waves were rolling not so far away. "Did Kurei send you?" he asked, finally.

Joker nodded. "Have you ever believed in karma?" A cocky grin spread across his lips. "I would think so, you being an endorser of destiny. Or have you heard that ridiculous line—your cheating heart will tell on you?"

Raiha's jaw clenched. "I didn't come here to be annoyed, clown."

Joker leered. "What's the matter, boy? Drowning in the hope of reconciliation? Or are you too dull to realize your ship has sunk—leaving you way in over your head?"

Raiha couldn't take it anymore. All those water puns. "You will shut up if you know what's good for you."

Joker loved playing with the bait. But even more, he was loving the fact that he was getting on Raiha's nerves. "They make a striking couple, you know."

"I know. Shut up." Raiha's voice reached a dangerous edge.

Joker relented. A little. "A perfect example for your destiny campaign. Two people drawn naturally by the forces of the universe without the pathetic intervention of outside forces. Outside forces that prey on the doors of the human heart. The human heart where true love already dwells." He paused. "Romantic, isn't it?"

Something that was previously dangling harmlessly at Raiha's side almost pinned him to a tree through the neck if he had not dodged in time.

Raiha threw him a dark smile and started to walk away.

Joker scoffed. "You know why it didn't work out between you and that girl? Because you opposed another natural force perhaps stronger than destiny." Another pause for effect. "Karma." He pulled out the weapon that almost killed him to give back to the man. "What goes around comes around."

It was a katana.

OWARI

_A.N. _

_Revised version, guys. What do you think? I hope you guys found some improvement… hehehe. _

_This is really the end now. Okay, if it's hard to comprehend, I think you have to go back to chapter II for reference. The guy chasing her around the woods. Pay attention to his weapon. _

_Thank you, whoever you are sitting there and reading this. It means a lot, believe me. So if there's something you want me to know, why not hit the review button and communicate it? _

_It's standard for me to say my thank-you's to everyone who has made the effort to review. So here goes:_

_**pratz**—for everything would not have been possible without you. Have I ever told you I love you? J_

_**xabie**—reviews from great writers always bring forth mixed feelings. I'm flattered, honored, but at the same time I feel as if I'm not truly worthy enough to receive such compliments. Well, thank you for detailing what you liked about the past chapter, xabie. I truly appreciate it and cherish as well, since I'm a big fan of yours. By the way, I'm thinking of doing a fic on your challenge. I'm still deciding which scene. Continue being the great writer that you are. Of course, that's no mean feat for you. _

_**damouse**—first of all, sorry for keeping you waiting. Your enthused reaction on the update touched me. You know what, when I write from Mi-chan's perspective I always think of you, hehehehe, to be honest I think each perspective I designed hoping that it would make you fall deeper and deeper and…okay, I'll cut it out. What happened to your other fic, huh? I liked that one. Always conjuring up scenes on what would happen next. Arigato gozaimasu, damouse, for reading this and for loving it. It turned out the way it did because you were there. _

_**khy--** nung nabasa ko review mo, naisip ko kaagad, tutuparin ko ang kahilingan niya. Kaya sa wakas, at nagkatuluyan na rin sila. Sorry ha, kung matagal kang naghintay, pabaya rin kasi ako. Thank you because your review got me working, and now look where we are. Girl, I love your Kindred arc, and I love you for the decision to write more on what happened between the last two chapters. Keep at it, because you know, may fan kang nag-aabang. Thank you sa lahat, sa advice mo about manslaughter and murder, for everything else._

_**MoonPhoenix**—You know, I've never had a review like the one you gave me. I'm really glad you see something more than the romance. If it aroused your curiosity, I'm glad it had that effect. Let's just say one of my goals was not just romance… but to get my readers to think. You proved it worked. Thanks for reading._

_**Koala4u**—I know I'm bad, honestly, I'm wishing you'd be converted to a Tokfuu fan already, so I can say (and I've been wanting to say this): "Welcome to the club." I'm actually very, very happy that my fics had something to do with the consideration of converting. Thank you for reading "Paradox" and "Love, Be Eternal". I hope you liked these two final chapters._

_**mar00gs**—A biased tok-fuu Filipino fan. It's my honor to meet you. Thank you for the encouragement. Here, I got it finished so that you won't be up on your toes waiting for eternity. Sana isang araw magkita tayo, so we could bond over Tokiya and Fuuko. Well, thanks for reading. _

_**FireArrow**—thanks for your review. I'm glad it caught your interest which was hopefully sustained to this very moment—when you read the thank-yous. I'm sorry for the slow update and hoping you like the outcome. _

_**Mazzao-na-Mizu**—As mar00gs (another reviewer) put it, hello kababayan. I never got to answer your question but I hope the greeting just did. Thank you for your compliment on the idea, but it belongs to pratz. She just chose me to write it. I have to apologize, for it's general knowledge that I'm slow at updating. But I hope you're reading this thank-you right now, and that the ending has pleased you. Thanks for believing in me._

_**Lady Penquin**—did I get your name right? Was the 'q' intentional? Thank you for reading. Thanks for the review that I truly appreciate. Because you asked, here it is. They are an item now. Hope you're as happy as they are._

_**TETOT99**—There are lots of things I wanted to thank you for when I read your review that I can't express. So I'll just use layman's terms. Thank you for loving this fic. I'm sorry if Raiha had to be pushed to the background. I guess I just realized I'm really a hardcore Tok-fuu fan. Well, I hope you like the last chapter (the epilogue was done to compensate for pushing Raiha away too much, it's for you). Thank you for believing in me._

_**Kaze Yurei**—It's been a long time since I heard from you, so that must explain why I was so ecstatic when I read your review. Your reviews always mean a lot to me, girl. Hope you know that. Thanks for taking the time. Hope you like how things turned out._

_**Flare-Chaa**—Thank you for reminding me to update and for caps-locking it for emphasis. Well, now that it's over and done (the fic) what's left is to thank you. Thank you for your precious effort in reviewing. You have done me a great honor. _

_**Kat-gurl1**—I really don't know how to handle compliments, and yours, quite simple but saying much threw me in a state of awe. Here's a good writer, complimenting me. What do I do? So I thought of saying thank you. Your review inspired me._

_**Michelle Kay**—I'd have to say it's an honor for me, truly, to know that you like my fics, because it means people tolerate them even if they're not that great. Thank you for that wonderful review._

_**Dark Phoenix**—With 21 words, you touched me. Thank you for reading this. Thank you for giving it a piece of your heart._

**Satin Nightingale- **Thank you so much for reading this and for loving it! Keep Tokfuu in your heart always…

**Massao-na-Mizu-** wails in glee Yes! You're back! I'm so glad you dropped by to say hi and leave your comments. I found them so inspiring that I revised some parts of the fic, for you. Hope you like this updated one better. Kinilig ka ba? Hehehehe… Tokfuu forever tayo ha! Itaas ang bandila! Muah Thanks for the review, sis. Means a lot. ;-) Take care of yourself.


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